Railway-rail joint



Sept. 23, 1924. 1,509,721

I H. W. EDWARDS RAILWAY RAIL JOINT Filed'DeC. 13, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I It as m k v Gimm /20 1,.

/ MJM/ I Sept. 23, 4924. v

H. W. EDWARDS RAILWAY RAIL JOINT Filed Dec- 13, 1923 2 Shoots-$heet 2 Patented Sept. 23, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT W. EDWARDS, OF AUDUBON, NEW JERSEY, 'ASSIGNOR TO ECONOMY RAIL JOINT COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

. RAILWAY-RAIL Jomr.

Application filed December 13, 1928. Serial No. 680,501.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, HERBERT W. EDWARDS, citizen ofthe United States, residing at Audubon. in the county of Camden and State of 'New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Rail Joints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention pertains to novel and improved railway joints and has special references to a construction of the rail joint bars or plates, whereby the "clamping effect against the track rails at and near their meeting ends is materially improved and adapted to more e'fiectually compensate for the wear which usually occurs at and near said meeting ends.

The prime object of the invention is to provide a simple, novel, durable, economical,

and thoroughly efficient means for safely and reliably uniting and securing the meeting ends of railway track rails together, said means being formed from a minlmum number of parts, and ada ted to insure the longevity of the rails an the rail joint.

A further object of this invention is to so construct my improved rail joint that, when the several parts shall have been properly assembled and firmly secured at the meeting ends of the rails, the perfect alinement of the rails will be effectively insured at all times, and at the same time prevent what is known as lipping of the ends of the rails on curves, which is now common with the use of other rail joints em loyed.

Another object of t e invention is to so construct my novel rail joint that the parts may be more easily and readily adjusted to effectually and thoroughly compensate for all wear which occurs at and near the meeting ends of the rails.

Further objects of this invention are to so construct, assemble and rigidly secure each rail joint as to prevent any accidental displacement of the parts; to so construct each ar, which will hereinafter be termed the splice or filler bar that, in the event that said bar should be broken from any cause whatever, it will be impossible for the broken parts of the bar to work outwardly in any direction, and thus become dangerous during the passage'of the rolling stock thereover or to lose its efliciency; that the upper reinforced 'or thickened portion of each of said bars will be caused to be forced and flexed against the lower surface of the head and the upper end portion of the web ofthe rail as the wear takes place at and near the juncture of the rails, by the pro-per adj ustment of the clamping bars fitted therein and simultaneously cause said clamping bars to firmly and securely clamp the base of each rail, and to prevent the necessity of using new joints in the installation of new rails, which is now usual, owing to. the fact that the old joints are more or less battered and unfit for use, since by my construction it will be simply necessary to use a new splice or filler bar, the cost of which is negligible, thereby resulting in a vast and enormous saving to railway systems in the construction of their road beds.

The foregoing and such other objects as may appear from) the ensuing description are accomplished by the construction, location, arrangement and combination of the several parts hereinafter more fully dev the claims appended hereto, it being understood that slight changes in the precise form, proportions and minor details of the construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the acco anying drawings which form a part of t e specification it will be seen that Figure 1, is a side elevation of the 1mproved means embodying my invention.

Figure 2, is a cross-section through the track rail, and showing in end elevation the rail joint with the clamping bars at a slight an 1e with respect to the rail and in the positlon in which they are first installed.

Figure 3, is a slmilar view showing the position assumed by the clamping bais when adjusted inwardly to compensate for wear at the meeting ends of the rails.

Figure 4, is a side elevation showing a slightly modified form of clamping bars.

Figure 5, is a cross-section taken through the track rail, and showing in end elevation the modified form of clamping bars.

Figure 6, is a side elevation of the splice or filler bar detached from the rails, and showing by dotted lines the position of the securing bolts with respect to said bar, and

Figure 7, is a side elevation of one of the clamping bars, such as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, removed from the rails.

In the embodiment of my invention as illustrated, it will be seenby reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 that the track rails 1 are shown as being connected together at their meeting ends by the clam ing bars 2; the splice or filler bars 3; olts 4 passing through each clamping bar 2 and the track rail, and adjusting and securing nuts 5. Each of the splice or filler bars 3 is formed with an upper thickened or reinforced upper edge dovetail portion 6 and a similar lower edge portion 7 with an-intermediate thinner central arc-shaped portion adapted to snugly rest in clamping contact with the upper edge of the web of the rail and in like contact with the lower face of the rail tread, said bars 3 being cut out' near each end thereof at 8 and at its central portion 9 for the purpose hereinafter described.

' It will be perceived that the upper and inner surface of the headed portion of each clampin bar 2, is always adjusted to a perfect %t with the splice or filler bar 3 on an arc of a circle, hence all strain and pounding emanating from the rolling stock is equally distributed throughout said are on the bar thus preventing any unusual strain at any particular or special point. When the clamping bars 2 are first secured to the track rails, they are set at a slight angle or incline with respect to the vertical web of the rails with the top portion of each bar fitting in the .arc of the circle formed by the outer face of each bar 3, and the lower enlarged portion 10 of each bar 2 resting on the upper face of the rail base at a suitable distance away from the web of the track rails. Thus positioned, when it is desired to force the bars 2 inwardly by adjusting-the securing nuts on the bolts, such operation. can be more easily and readily performed, since the power is exerted entirely at the base portion of each bar, thereby imparting a eater leverage and enabling said bars to e drawn sufficiently inwardly to fully compensate for any wear which may have occurred at and near the meeting ends of the track rails, as will be readily understood.

Each splice 0r filler bar 3 being formed with an upper and lower thickened or dovetail portion and the cut away portions at each end thereof and its central portion, the securing bolts are caused to rest in contact with the lowermost depending edge portions of said bar, as shown by dotted lines Figs. 1 and 6, thereby preventing any accidental displacement or outwardly working ofthe bar 3, under any and all conditions, owing to the precise formation of the bar.

It will be evident that all of the blows of the rolling stock passing over the ends of the rails, as well as the friction caused by expansion and contraction of the rails will be imparted to the bars 3, thereby avoidin any wear between the clamping bars 2 an the said bars 3 in the hearing are of a circle and the slight wear from ex ansion and contraction which may take p ace between the base of the rails and the clamping bars is readily compensated for by adjusting the clamping bars inwardly. At the meeting ends of the rails, in addition to expansion and contraction, the wheels of the rolling stock passing over the ends of the rails have a tendency to pound the bars 3, if there is any lost motion, due to change of climatic conditions, but such pounding will have no effect on the .clamping bars 2,

since the impact is received by the bars 3.

In the event that the splice or filler bars 3 become worn at and near the meeting ends of the rails, from any cause whatever, the space so formed by wear will be readily and fully compensated for by adjusting the two centrally arranged bolts nearest the said meeting ends which will spring the clamping bar inwardly thus forcing the splice bar 3 to bow, bend or flex upwardly at its I cut away central portion without any material resistance into close contact with the lower face of the head of the rail, thereby preventing damage to the rails, such as fiattening of the top of the rail head by the pounding blows of the wheels of the rolling stock, which insures that the life of the track rails will be materially prolonged, as the heads of the rails will'not become battered at their meeting ends which so commonly occurs by the use of the rail joints now employed, with the result of an enormous saving and economy to railway systems, since the rails will wearuniformly throughout their length, and films avoid their renewal, as well as the shipping back to the mill of the old battered rails to have their ends removed or sawed oif and the rail redrilled for the pur ose of further use.

It will be obvious t at the pro r assemblage of the parts secured toget er in the manner hereinbefore described assures the perfect alinement of the rails at all times and prevents the rails from what is known as lipping, especially on curves which is now common in connection with the use of other ty of rail joints. Further, since it is now t e custom when installing new rails to use new joints, as the old joints removed are always more or'le$ battered and unfit for use; it will be readily apparent that by my construction of joint it will only be necessary to supply a new splice or filler bar, thereby creating an enormous savings in the construction of road beds for railway systems.

The several parts of my novel and improved rail joint may be rolled or formed in any desirable manner from any suitable metal, preferably of the same grade of steel now. utilized in the manufacture of other rail joints, and either the splice or filler bars or both sets of bars maybe heat treated if preferred, in order to furnish the maximum amount of strength and durability.

. In the slight modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5, it will be seen that the clamping bars 11 are formed with a base flange extended slightly beyond the outer edges of the rail base, said base flange being provided with a plurality of notches, formed in its outer edge for the reception of the rail securing spikes 12. v

.It will be understood that regardless of the depth of the flange or any type of wheels there is always suflicient clearance to prevent interference with the joint at all times.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A rail joint of the character described, comprising track rails, a splice bar formed with dovetail upper and lower portions and an intermediate arc-shaped thinner portion disposed above the central portion of the rails and clamping bars formed with an inner arc-shaped headed portion adapted to be alwaysseated in close contact with said arc-shaped portion of the splice bar.

. 2. A rail joint of the character described, comprising track rails, a splice bar disposed above the central portion of the rails and formed with reinforced enlarged upper and lower edges and. a thinner arc-shaped central portion, and clamping bars formed with an inner arc-shaped headed ortion adapted to always rest in contact wlth the arc-shaped portion of said splice bar.

3. A rail joint of the character described, comprising track rails, a splice bar disposed above the central portion of therails and formed with an excess of metal at itsupper and lower edges and a, thinner arc-.

shaped central portion, and'clamping bars formed with an inner arc-shaped headed portion adapted to always rest in clamping contact with the arc-shaped portion of'said splice bar.

4. As an article of manufacture, a splice bar for rail joints disposed above the central portion of the rails-comprising dovetail upper and lower portions and an intermediate thinner arc-shaped portion.

5. As an article of manufacture, a splice bar for rail joints disposed above the central portion of the rails comprising thickened upper and lower edges and a thinner arc-shaped middle portion.

6. As an article of manufacture, a splice bar for rail joints disposed above the central portion of the rails comprising thickened upper and lower edges and a central thinner arc-shaped portion; the lower edge being cut out at each end and at its central portion.

7. In a rail joint, a splice bar disposed above the central portion of the rails formed with an outwardly extended dovetail portion at its upper edge, a downwardly extended dovetail portion at its lower edge and a thinner arc-shaped central por- 39 tion, a clamping bar formed with an arcshaped headed portion adapted to have clamping contact with the splice bar, and securing bolts adapted to contact with the lower end portions of the splice bar.

8. In a rail joint, a splice bar disposed above the central portion of the rails formed with a thickened outwardly extended upper edge, a thickened downwardly extended lower edge which is cut out at its center and each end and a thinner arcshaped central portion, a clamping bar formed with an arc-shaped headed portion resting in close contact with the central portion of the splice bar, and securing bolts adapted to contact with the depending lower edge of said splice bar at its central and each end portion.

9. A rail joint of the character described, comprising track rails, a splice bar formed 109 with an excess of metal at its upper and its lower edges and a thinner arc-shaped central portion, said bar being disposed above the central portion of the rails, a clamping bar seated on the base of the rail at a suitable distance from the rail web with its headed portion in clamping contact with the-arc-shaped portion of the splice bar, and means for forcing said clamping bar inwardly to cause the splice bar to tightly contact with the lower face of the rail head at all times.

10. A rail joint of the character described, comprising track rails, a splice bar disposed above the central portion of the rails and adapted to contact with the upper portion of the web of the rail and the lower face of the rail head, said bar being formed with a dovetail outwardly extended upper edge, a dovetail downwardly extended lower end, a thinner central arcshaped portionand cut out portions at its lowermost portion, a clamping bar with its headed portion in clamping contact with the arc-shaped and lower face portion of the splice bar, and securing bolts for adjusting said clamping bar inwardly,- said, bolts being adapted to contact with the lowermost edges of said splice bar.

11. A rail joint of the character described, comprising track rails, a splice bar disposed above the central portion of the rails in contact with the upper web portion and the lower face portion of the rail head,

5 said bar being thickened at its upper and lower ends and having a thinner central arc-shaped portion, a clamping bar with its headed portion in clam ing contact with the arc-shaped portion 0 the outer face of: the splice bar, securing bolts for said bars, and means for adjusting the said bars inwardly to compensate for wear at and near the meetin ends of the rails.

HERBERT W. EDWARDS. 

